Parents of malnourished boy left alone in hotel room charged

The parents of a 6-year-old boy, who Baltimore County police said was severely malnourished and left alone in a hotel room alone for several hours, have been charged.

Police said Jessica Lynn Maranto, 33, and Brandon Joseph Johnson, 32, left the boy in a room at the Welcome Inn on Loch Raven Boulevard on August 7. Police initially believed the child was 2-years-old but it was later determined the child was six and suffered from "severe malnutrition," the department said in a statement.

The boy was taken to an area hospital for treatment and remains hospitalized.

Police said a maintenance worker had discovered the child after going inside the room after receiving a complaint about bed bugs.

Police said the parents, whose address is in the 8700 block of Loch Bend Drive in Parkville, had left the home and were looking at other places to stay.

They are charged with first-degree child abuse, child neglect and related offenses. Both are being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center. Neither had attorneys listed in online court records.